Marcus Vitruvius Pollio Quotes

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Architects should be educated, skillful with the pencil, instructed in geometry, know much history, have followed the philosophers with attention, understand music, have some knowledge of medicine, know the opinions of the jurists, and be acquainted with astronomy and the theory of the heavens

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Medicine, Heaven, Attention

"De architectura". Book by Vitruvius. Book I, Chapter I, Section 3,

90 Copy quote
Architect's designs must refer to the unquestionable perfection of the body's symmetry and proportions. If a building is to create a sense of eurythmia, it is essential that it mirrors these natural laws of harmony and beauty

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Mirrors, Law, Perfection

60 Copy quote
Architecture depends on Order, Arrangement, Eurythmy, Symmetry , Propriety , and Economy.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Order, Architecture, Economy

"De architectura". Book by Vitruvius. Book I, Chapter II: "The Fundamental Principles of Architecture", Section 1,

66 Copy quote
Beauty is produced by the pleasing appearance and good taste of the whole, and by the dimensions of all the parts being duly proportioned to each other.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Taste, Dimensions, Appearance

Marcus VITRUVIUS POLLIO, Joseph GWILT (1826). “The Architecture of M. Vitruvius Pollio in Ten Books, Translated from the Latin by J. Gwilt”, p.15

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A harmonious design requires that nothing be added or taken away.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Inspirational, Taken, Design

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The architect must not only understand drawing, but music.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Drawing, Architecture, Architect

51 Copy quote
Architecture is a science arising out of many other sciences, and adorned with much and varied learning; by the help of which a judgment is formed of those works which are the result of other arts.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Art, Helping, Architecture

Marcus VITRUVIUS POLLIO, Joseph GWILT (1826). “The Architecture of M. Vitruvius Pollio in Ten Books, Translated from the Latin by J. Gwilt”, p.3

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In fact, all kinds of men, and not merely architects, can recognize a good piece of work.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Men, Pieces, Facts

"De architectura (Ten Books on Architecture)". Book by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (Book VI, Chapter VIII, Section 10), circa 15 BC.

5 Copy quote
Now architecture consists of order, which in Greek is called taxis ... Order is the balanced adjustment of the details of the work separately, and, as to the whole, the arrangement of the proportion with a view to a symmetrical result.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Views, Order, Design

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Proportion is that agreeable harmony between the several parts of a building, which is the result of a just and regular agreement of them with each other; the height to the width, this to the length, and each of these to the whole.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Agreement, Height, Harmony

Marcus VITRUVIUS POLLIO, Joseph GWILT (1826). “The Architecture of M. Vitruvius Pollio in Ten Books, Translated from the Latin by J. Gwilt”, p.12

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Geometry is of much assistance in architecture, and in particular it teaches us the use of the rule and compasses, by which especially we acquire readiness in making plans for buildings in their grounds, and rightly apply the square, the level, and the plummet. By means of optics the light in buildings can be drawn from fixed quarters of the sky. Difficult questions involving symmetry are solved by means of geometrical theories and methods.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Mean, Squares, Light

"De architectura". Book by Vitruvius. Book I, Chapter I, Section 4,

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Nothing requires the architect's care more than the due proportions of buildings.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Careers, Architecture, Building

Marcus VITRUVIUS POLLIO, Joseph GWILT (1826). “The Architecture of M. Vitruvius Pollio in Ten Books, Translated from the Latin by J. Gwilt”, p.170

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If our designs for private houses are to be correct, we must at the outset take note of the countries and climates in which they are built.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Country, House, Design

"De architectura (Ten Books on Architecture)". Book by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (Book VI, Chapter I, Section 1), circa 15 BC.

37 Copy quote
The [engineer] should be equipped with knowledge of many branches of study and varied kinds of learning, for it is by his judgement that all work done by the other arts is put to test. This knowledge is the child of practice and theory.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Art, Children, Practice

"De architectura". Book by Vitruvius. Book I, Chapter I: "The Education of the Architect", Section 1,

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It is no secret that the moon has no light of her own, but is, as it were, a mirror, receiving brightness from the influence of the sun.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Moon, Mirrors, Light

"De architectura". Book by Vitruvius. Book IX, Chapter II, Section 3,

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When the juices of trees have no means of escape, they clot and rot in them, making the trees hollow and good for nothing.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Mean, Tree, Juice

"De architectura (Ten Books on Architecture)". Book by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (Book II, Chapter IX, Section 4), irca 15 BC.

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An architect ought to be an educated man so as to leave a more lasting remembrance in his treatises.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Men, Remembrance, Architect

"De architectura". Book by Vitruvius. Book I, Chapter I, Section 4,

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Water from clay pipes is much more wholesome than that which is conducted through lead pipes, because lead is found to be harmful for the reason that white lead is derived from it, and this is said to be hurtful to the human system.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

White, Water, Hurtful

"De architectura (Ten Books on Architecture)". Book by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (Book VIII, Chapter VI, Section 10), circa 15 BC.

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Consistency is found in that work whose whole and detail are suitable to the occasion. It arises from circumstance, custom, and nature.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Consistency, Details, Found

Marcus VITRUVIUS POLLIO, Joseph GWILT (1826). “The Architecture of M. Vitruvius Pollio in Ten Books, Translated from the Latin by J. Gwilt”, p.12

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The design of a temple depends on symmetry, the principles of which must be most carefully observed by the architect.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Design, Principles, Temples

"The Ten Books On Architecture". Book III. Chapter I, Sec. 1, 15BC.

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For not all things are practicable on identical principles

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Principles, Identical, All Things

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All machinery is derived from nature, and is founded on the teaching and instruction of the revolution of the firmament.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Teaching, Revolution, Instruction

"The Ten Books On Architecture". Book by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, Book X, Chapter I, Sec. 4, c. 15 BC.

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A liberal education forms a single body. Those, therefore, who from tender years receive instruction in the various forms of learning, recognize the same stamp on all the arts, and an intercourse between all studies, and so they more readily comprehend them all.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Art, Years, Body

"De architectura". Book by Vitruvius. Book I, Chapter I, Section 12,

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For we must not build temples according to the same rules to all gods alike, since the performance of the sacred rites varies with the various gods.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Sacred, Temples, Rite

"De architectura (Ten Books on Architecture)". Book by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (Book IV, Chapter VIII, Section 6), circa 15 BC.

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If then, at this great distance, our human vision can discern that sight, why, pray, are we to think that the divine splendor of the stars can be cast into darkness?

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio

Stars, Distance, Thinking

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Born: 81 BC
Died: 15
Occupation: Author
Cite this Page: Citation

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